GOP Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez almost sounded like a Democrat during a Patriot Ledger editorial board interview. But he didn’t stray far from his conservative heart.

Lane Lambert

For a self-described lifelong Republican, U.S. Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset takes some positions that are guaranteed to rile the party’s conservative base.

He told a meeting of The Patriot Ledger editorial board Monday that he would tell the National Rifle Association to “get lost” if the group tried to pressure him against supporting universal background checks for gun purchases.

He said he would refuse to take the so-called “Norquist pledge” to never raise taxes.

“The only pledge I will ever take is to protect and defend the Constitution,” the 47-year-old venture capitalist and former Navy SEAL said.

“The only reason politicians take pledges is that people don’t trust them,” Gomez said, referring to the no-tax promise named for influential anti-tax activist Grover Norquist.

In his contest against Democratic Congressman Ed Markey of Malden for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by John Kerry, Gomez is casting himself as “a new kind of Republican” who’s prepared to break ranks with fellow members of the GOP to reach compromises on economic policies and immigration reform.

Over the weekend and again at a campaign stop in Quincy on Monday, he said that, if elected, some members of his party might see him as “a pain in the butt” for such actions.

Despite those comments, Gomez has the support of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. McConnell said Gomez’s election is crucial for the GOP to win control of the Senate.

At times during his Ledger interview, Gomez almost sounded like a Democrat.

He supports gay marriage, even though he’s Roman Catholic. He said he doesn’t question the reality of climate change. He said interest rates for college student loans should be kept low and affordable. And he said nice things about President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

The American-born son of Colombian immigrants, Gomez beat former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan of Abington and state Rep. Daniel Winslow of Norfolk in the GOP primary. He’ll face Markey in the June 25 special election.

He’s been taking centrist message to parts of the state he’d never visited before – including the Berkshires in western Massachusetts – as well as to typically Democratic strongholds like Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.

As part of his bid for the state’s growing Latino vote, he responded to a Lawrence radio station’s weekend interview entirely in Spanish.

But during his editorial board appearance, he didn’t stray that far from his conservative heart.

He’s quick to affirm his credo of “more personal responsibility, more freedom, and smaller, more effective government.”

He said he wants to cut the federal deficit by closing tax loopholes, not raising taxes.

He says small businesses are over-taxed and over-regulated. While he favors tougher background checks for gun purchases, he still opposes a ban on assault-style weapons.

As he courts independents and conservative Democrats, he’s also regularly campaigning around the Republican-leaning South Shore. He made nine public appearances at parades and other local events in May.

Markey made his first stops south of Boston on Sunday. He was joined by his primary rival, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, at the Vietnam Memorial Clock Tower at Marina Bay in Quincy. He then visited Hull.

Like Gomez, Markey has been invited to meet with the editorial board of the Ledger before the paper endorses a candidate in the Senate election.

Lane Lambert may be reached at llambert@ledger.com or follow on Twitter @LLambert_Ledger.